Arthur B. Singer
Arthur Bernard[1] Singer (4 December, 1917-7 April, 1990) was an American wildlife artist primarily specialized in bird illustration.
Career
Singer was born to a family of artists in New York City on 4 December 1917 and raised in mid-Manhattan. In 1939, he graduated from Cooper Union and subsequently he worked as a printer in an advertising agency. In 1942, he joined the U. S. Army[2] where he served in Company C of the 603rd Camouflage Engineers.[3] Influenced by Carl Rungius, Louis Agassiz Fuertes, and Wilhelm Kuhnert he became a full-time illustrator and artist by 1955.[4]
He illustrated more than 20 books, including Field Guide to Birds of North America (by Bertel Bruun and Chandler S. Robbins), Field Guide to Birds of Europe, Birds of the World (by Oliver L. Austin), The Life of the Hummingbird, Field Guide to Birds of the West Indies (by James Bond and Don R. Eckelberry), State Birds, Zoo Animals, Birds of Greenland, Cats, Wild Animals from Alligator to Zebra, British and European Birds in Colour (by Bertel Bruun), The Hamlyn Guide to Birds of Britain and Europe, Book of Birds in Colour (by Robert Porter Allen), Water and Marsh Birds of the World (by Oliver L. Austin) and Birds of the Caribbean. Singer's prints were also published in the magazine The American Home.
He died of esophageal cancer in his home in Jericho, New York on 7 April 1990.[2]
Singer made friends with jazz musicians Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway. The latter was sketched by Singer in 1932.[2]
References
- ^ Chandler S. Robbins: In Memoriam: Arthur Bernard Singer, 1917-1990 In: The Auk 110(2), 1993:pp 376-377
- ^ a b c Stephanie Strom: Arthur B. Singer, 72, Artist, Dies; Painted 50 State Birds on Stamps In New York Times 8 June 1990
- ^ The Ghost Army
- ^ Hammond, Nicholas, Modern Wildlife Painting, Pica Press, 1998, ISBN 1-873403-55-0, pp. 233.